Image forming apparatus having locking cartridge tray

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including an opening, a cartridge tray for dismountably supporting a cartridge, an openable member for opening and closing the opening, with the cartridge tray being provided at one end portion side, and a limiting member. An urging member urges the cartridge tray from an inner position in the main assembly to an outer position, and a locking member moves between a regulating position and a non-regulating position in interrelation with movement of the openable member. When the openable member is closed, the locking member moves to the regulating position at which the locking member engages with the cartridge tray to push it to the inner position and limits movement of the cartridge tray toward the outer position, and when the openable member is opened, the locking member moves to the non-regulating position at which the locking member disengages from the cartridge tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image forming apparatus, to which a cartridge is detachably mountable, for forming an image on a recording material, said apparatus comprising:
 a main assembly including an opening; 
 a cartridge tray for dismountably supporting a cartridge, said cartridge tray being movable through the opening between an outer position and an inner position; 
 an openable member for opening and closing the opening; 
 said cartridge tray being provided, at one end portion side of said cartridge tray with respect to a longitudinal direction of said cartridge, with a regulating member which is engaged with a main assembly side engaging portion of said main assembly to regulate movement of said cartridge tray toward the outer position when said cartridge tray is in the inner position; 
 at least one urging member, provided upstream of said regulating member with respect to an outward direction which is from the inner position toward the outer position, for urging said cartridge tray from the inner position toward the outer position; and 
 a locking member movable between a regulating position and a non-regulating position in interrelation with movement of said openable member, wherein when said openable member is closed, said locking member moves to the regulating position at which said locking member engages with the other end portion side of said cartridge tray with respect to the longitudinal direction to push said cartridge tray to the inner position and regulates movement of said cartridge tray toward the outer position, and wherein when said openable member is opened, said locking member moves to the non-regulating position at which said locking member disengages from said cartridge tray. 
 
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said urging member is provided at each of the one end portion side and the other end portion side. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein at least one of said urging member is electroconductive, and
 said cartridge tray is provided with an electroconductive member electrically connectable with said electroconductive urging member in the inner position, and wherein when said cartridge is mounted on said cartridge tray, said electroconductive member electrically connects with an electrical contact member provided on the cartridge. 
 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said electroconductive member is provided at an end portion of said cartridge tray to reinforce said cartridge tray. 
     
     
       5. A apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first reinforcing member, provided at one end portion side of said cartridge tray, for reinforcing said cartridge tray,
 a second reinforcing member, provided at the other end portion side of said cartridge tray, for reinforcing said cartridge tray. 
 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said main assembly further includes a main assembly drive transmission member, and wherein said main assembly drive transmission member is engageable with said cartridge mounted to a mounting position where said image forming apparatus is capable of forming the image, at the one end portion side of said cartridge tray to enable transmission of a driving force to the cartridge. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said regulating member is movable in the inner position between a regulating position in which said regulating member engages with said main assembly side engaging portion and a disengagement position in which said cartridge tray is disengaged from the main assembly side engaging portion,
 wherein said cartridge tray is provided with a releasing member for moving said regulating member from the regulating position to the disengagement position. 
 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes a rotatable member, wherein the longitudinal direction is a direction of a rotational axis of the rotatable member. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a moving direction of said cartridge tray between the inner position and the outer position is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cartridge mounted on said cartridge tray. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according  claim 1 , wherein said cartridge tray is capable of supporting a plurality of cartridges along a moving direction between the inner position and the outer position. 
     
     
       11. A apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said cartridge tray is linearly movable between the inner position and the outer position in a horizontal direction, in an oblique upward direction or in an oblique downward direction. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein in the outer position, said cartridge tray supports the cartridge so that the cartridge is dismountable from said cartridge tray upwardly, and the cartridge is moved downwardly to be supported by said cartridge tray. 
     
     
       13. A apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is a process cartridge including a rotatable image bearing member on which a latent image is formed and developing means for developing the latent image with a developer. 
     
     
       14. An image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is a separate process cartridge including a rotatable image bearing member on which a latent image is formed, and image forming process means other than developing means for developing the latent image with a developer. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is a developing cartridge including rotatable developing means for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member with a developer, and a developer accommodating portion containing the developer for developing the latent image. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is a separate process cartridge including a rotatable image bearing member on which a latent image is formed, image forming process means other than developing means for developing the latent image with a developer, a developing cartridge including rotatable developing means for developing the latent image formed on the image bearing member with a developer, and a developer accommodating portion containing the developer for developing the latent image. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the image bearing member is a rotatable electrophotographic photosensitive member. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking member is provided at said main assembly. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one urging member provides a resultant force effective to apply a rotational force to said cartridge tray in a direction of projecting the other end portion side beyond the one end portion side, when said regulating member engages with said main assembly side engaging portion.